Gear shift



July l2, 1960 G rw. HENDRlcKsoN 2,944,435

GEAR SHIFT Filed March 28, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 @a6 A v W L N VEN TOR.

BY u L" 'amW//MZ/m July l2, 1960 G. w. HENnRlcKsoN 2,944,435 y GEAR SHIFT Filed March 28, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 G. w. HENDRlcKsoN GEAR SHIFT rllli'lll July l2, 1960 Filed March 28. 195e INVENTOR. MMO# UnitedStates Patent ice 'Ilhis invention.. relates do. netgearv shift-device for. aastand raie-need. Ju'lyf 124196.

251 porltcdfadjace'nt; the transmission. wherein: transverse mcvementfof .theshi'fting llever in` the Icab-rocksc the'. finger seltivelvrj betweenithe shifting rails through'. a; exible control* eable;.. and wherein movement of the shifting leverfforwardly .andrearwardly of the cab .actuatesarvalve mountedim cab for .directing .pressure through tieni; l

b1'e. 1conduitsto opposite sides of a cylinder andpiston fdevicesupponted Y adjacentf the .transmission and operably (connected .to 4the gear selecting shaft to move the shaft arriallyej-wheneupon thetshitingY finger actuates the shifting-..railwithawhich itis engaged orV alignecb totprovide ide ard mechanical. transmission and-particularlvte-metal shitting. device .adap ted..fur. anfinstallation:where:y in the shifting lever is .physically spaced a considerable distance. away .from the. transmission.. as: encountered? in cabsover-motcr. trucks...

created. a `problem as. to .thevpropergearshifting mecha? nism. to be used. therewith..` As the standard` mechamf cal.. truck transmission. in. cabfover-motor. vehicles...is.`1orcatedfto therear: .of .the'motor,. the transmission is.l also f disposed to'. the. rear eitheb bodyandthus, substantialy 1y behind the shifting lever. therein. Qbviously,. inithis the desiredggearshiftingoper-ation.. Y

L vobject.ottheinvention is.to prov-ide in, a I' off. the character Adescribed a. shifting.. lever having itslwer endcperably connected to, a valvewherein movementzobithe'leven either.. forwardly or. rearwardlyof al. neutral.. position.. actuates. theA valveto direct. pressure intofieither. of two; outlet. connections` and whereintthe Y 20 'lhe development of,fcab'-ove`rmotor. trucks. and. truck tractorsfwherein the: cab body is`disposedN over. themotor arrangement. itis not possible to usei-theystandard. shifftf ingZ mechanism wherein=the shiftingdeven has abalhand socket type connection within. a tower.. fixture carriedn the Vtransmission.anrl'projects up .throughnthe hoor.y of the cab. It has .been considerednecessary to.- provide Vari: ous relatively complexl mechanical linkages. |betweeu\ the shifting lever in the cab and, the. transmission. disposedto the rear of. the cab. e f

Generally, the only access to the. motor. of such-cabf over-motor trucks and? truck tractors gainedby pivoting the' cab 'body upwardly and forwardly. about. i-tsfcnward end thus resulting in additionall complications to, the gear shifting mechanism. Iff .the gear shifting., leven `is physicallyY connectedto t-he.cab..hody i-tself,.it. is necessary to disconnect the mechanical' linkagesz betweenitheshiftf ing lever and the transmission. beforetiltingnhe cab. to. gain` access to the motor of.n the vehicle.. Shouldthe gear shiftinglever.. is comprised offtwo-.portions the upper of which ispivotally. connected to the lower portion,- for movement relative. .thereto-rtransversely ot .thev calb. in op. posite directions.. from a4 neutral- .position vin ,whichitis alignediv with the..V l'cwerv portion of.l the.A lever,v thel latter' transversemovements. being ladapted to actuatefacentrolcable. having. one; end secured. to: .a-bracket on the upper portion oither'shiftinglever.

Certain other. objectsof. the: inventionwil1, inpam. be obvious;y and willf inv pant appear hereinafter. For. a more. eomplete. understanding ofthe .natureand scope. of the invention reference. may.` now. be had` to.y thei` accom;-

g panyin'g drawingswhereinz. l

shiftingl lever be secured on the. chassist` Withejthe leven;

extending upwardly .through .the floor ofv the cahsbddy;k a relatively long, elongatedV slot would haveto beg. provided: in the iloor of. .the cab. tbodyr to.- permit the cabzbod'y` to;

be tilted relative to thegear shift. lever to:l allowfaccessto. the.A motor.

Accordingly, it -is ageneral. object of this.irwention4 to; provide anew and'improvedgearshifting-device for iinl stallations. 4wherein .the shifting lever is physically diss placed from the transmissionwhich overcomes the above mentioned. disadvantages. Y

Another object of the'v invention iswtof provider'a new.`

and. improved. gear shifting 4devicefor a. trucle on trncl'c,

Fig., 1` is aside elevational view of a.y truck. tractor having an: over-thefmotor tilt-ing cab,Y having.` installed therein a` transmission operating'or.. .gear shifting vmechatnismf constiftuting-vl one. embodiment of .the invention@ l' FigQZ is 'a` broken. end.v elevational View of theinvem .tion shown.ii1'Fig. 1` looking towardlthe. front ofthevehi? cle' in which it is installed', and showing. in the; lower right-hand cornery of `.the view the upper portion of. the transmission disposedfto the rear of. .the cab fand: in the upper portion ofthe view the shifting; lever mounted; in the cab; Y

Fig. 3. is' ai sideelevational view showing. the shifting lever: and' support means therefor as. mounted. in. a; cali-.of a truckor'a .truck tractor;

Fig. 4. is .a vertical sectional view. taken generallyy along line ofVFig; Zirwith a standard mechanical.` transmission' and? the shifting rails and4 gears therein. being shown in brokenv lines;

Fig: 5 is a' par-tial .end elevational view taken. generai ly' along li'ne 5-5 of'Fig. 4"; F1 Figi; 6 is' a' top plan view of the device as. showniir 1g. v; Fi'g: 7fis anenlarged" longitudinal sectional viewf sho ing` .tle details' of the" couplingV between thev piston. rod

.l and the gear' selecting shaft;

from lthe transmission and..without the necessity. of.-y providing ancelcngated slotin'thedloon oftheab. body.

Another object ofthe invention;t is to provid'elamewl and .improvedl .gear shifting: -device of!v theaeharacten-de.-

scribed. wherein the. usual; shifting. finger operaleftoi ari.s

tuate. the. shifting.. rails. in the transmission! is mounted on an axially shiftable, gear selecting, rock shaft supellffig:l 8*; isY an enlarged"longitudinalsectional view through the pistonvand cylinder device shown in Fig.` 4;.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary,.enlarged elevational.vieW,..par*-' tiallyin'v vcrticalfsection,l ofthe shifting.- leverv as :viewed Fig: l0! an exploded', perspective View sliowingftlie4 upper and'flower'portions' of the shifting lever as viewed from'thefront-Of .theicabg'and Fig; 1512 is -ia diagrammaticl plfan View shuwihg the stand ud operating positions offthe' hand gripoi the shifting ever.. *"1

As bes-t shown in Eigs:.15and.2, theinvent-iqnfcompris'es azmanuallyfopjerabl'e shiftingmech'anism-IS" secured inn'tiie cab-of. az cab-oversmoton truck; .truckftracton ortheli'lei the Vtype.whereinithe transmission lislbeated?V to Vthe rerof the 'cab and a transmission operating mechanism 16 disi' 3 posed adjacent the transmission. The shifting mechanism and the transmission operating mechanism 16 are interconnected by a pair of flexible hydraulic conduits 18 and 19 and a exible motion transmitting device o r control cable 20 similar in operation to a Bowden wire.

A known type mechanical transmission for a truck, truck tractor or the like is indicated generally at 17 in Fig. 4 and includes the usual gears, shafts, and shifting railsl adapted to be actuated in a well known manner to providea gear shifting operation within the transmission. As `the transmission and the elements thereof comprise no part of the invention, they havebeen shown in broken lines. Y

The usual tower fitting in which a shifting lever is mounted with a ballandvsocket type connection in many truck transmission shifting mechanisms is replaced in the shifting mechanism disclosed herein by a bracket member 22, best shown in Figs. 4 and 6. This bracket member relativelyrotatable surfaces of the plug member 40 and the sleeve member 41 are preferably formed of bearing material to minimize any frictional drag therebetween. This structure insures axial movement of the gear selecting shaft 28 with the piston rod 36 yet permits rotation of the shaft 28 relative to the piston rod 36.

A pair of fluid ports 48 and 49 are formed one in each end of the piston and cylinder device 35 so -that fluid pressure admitted to one end thereof will shift the piston rod 36 and the gear selecting shaft 2S in one direction and fluid pressure admitted to the :other end will shift them in the opposite direction. Normally, the piston ofthe piston and cylinder device 35 is positioned in the cylinder in a neutral position midway between its limits of movement in the cylinder. After the shifting finger 30 has been rocked into engagement or alignment with any one of the shifting rails in the transmission 17, actuation of v -the piston and cylinder device 35 in either direction from 22 is provided at one end with a casing portion 23 which is secured over an aperture'in the vuppersurface of the transmission 17 opening to the shifting rails and includes a cantilevered supporting brace 24, including a pair of vertically extending strengthening ribs 25, extending from the casing portion 23 toward the rear of a vehicle in which the transmission 17 is installed. The front and rear vertically extending walls 26 of the casing portion 23 of the bracket 22 are provided with aligned bores 27 through which extends a gear selecting shaft 28 having end portions-extending forwardly and rearwardly from the casing portion 23 of the bracket 22. The shaft 28 is mounted in said casing portion 23 for rotatable or rocking movement as well as for axial or longitudinal movement relative to the-casing portion 23. Suitable bearing members 29 for the shaft 28 are provided within the bores 27 in the front and rear walls 26 of the casing portion 23.

The usual transmission shifting linger 30 is mounted on the gear selecting shaft 28 within the casing portion 23 and extends downwardly into the transmission 17 where it may be rocked or rotatably shifted in either drection from a vertical, neutral position into alignment or operable engagement with any one of a series of shifting rails in the usual manner. In the embodiment shown herein, the shifting finger 30 may be aligned with or rotated into engagement with any one of four shifting rails. :In order to rock or rotate the gear selecting shaft 30', a crank arm 33 is secured to the forwardly extending end thereof externally of the casing portion 23, saidcrank arm Y33 being provided with a ball and stud assembly 34 extending normally to the end thereof.

` A piston and cylinder device 35 is supported from the i underside of the cantilevered supporting brace 24 of the bracket 22 so that a piston rod 36 thereof extends toward the casing portion 23 of the bracket 22 substantially in alignment with the gear selecting shaft 28. The end of the piston rod 36 is connected to the rearwardly extending end of the gear selecting shaft 28 externally of the casing portion 23 of the bracket 22 by a coupling device '37 which insures axial or longitudinal movement of the shaft 28 in response to movement of the piston rod 36 of the piston and cylinder device 35 yet which permits rota- Ation or rocking movement of the shaft 28 relative to the piston rod 36.

j The details of the coupling device 37 are best shown in Fig.'7 and include an internally threaded plug member 40 secured on an externally threaded end of the piston rod 36 and a sleeve member 41 fitted over the rearward end of the gear selecting shaft 28 and `over the plug member 40 and having an inwardly extending flange portion 42 adapted to engage the face of the plug member 40` nearest the piston and cylinder device 35. The sleeve member 41 is pinned to the gear selecting shaft 28 by a bolt 43 to insure rotation thereof with the shaft 28 while permitting rotation of the sleeve member 41 relative to the plug member 40 secured to the end of the piston rod 36. The

the neutral position thereof will actuate said engaged shifting rail in either of two opposite directions to provide the'desired gear shifting operation within the transmission17.

In the embodiment of the invention disclosed herein, a suitable piston and cylinder device has beenl found to be a 2 cylinder marketed by the Westinghouse Air Brake Company under the designation l93l00-TP-PXB. This piston and cylinder device 35 is lshown in Fig. 8 and is 0f the type wherein a main piston 50 having a substantially smaller diameter than a cylinder 51 is positioned in a neutral position therein, as in Fig. 8, when iluid pressure is admitted equally to both ends lof the cylinder 51. As shown in the drawing, this power device includes a pair of telescopically arranged piston-sleeve members 52 and 53 engageable both with the main piston 50 and with a stop member 54 secured in the cylinder 51 to determine Ithe limits of movement and the neutral position of the main piston 50.

The portion of the invention mounted in the cab of a truck tractor or the like may best be described with reference to Figs. 2, 3, 9, and 10. An angled mounting bracket 60 for the shifting mechanism 15 may be secured either to the oor of the cab, on the dashboard, or, in a cab having a single seat for the driver, on the portion of the cab body adjacent the drivers position as shown in Fig. 3. Mounted on the bracket 60V is a valve assembly 61 ofa well known type adapted to direct fluid pressure through either of the two conduits 18 and 19 connected thereto or equally through both of them. A valve assembly which has been found well suited from the shifting mechanism disclosed and illustrated herein is a valve assembly marketed by the Westinghouse Air Brake Company under the designation #191267. This valve assembly 61 includes three ports one of which is adapted to be connected to a source of fluid pressure through a conduit 62 and the other two of which are adapted to be connected by the conduits 18 and 19 to the ports 4S and 49, respectively, of the piston and cylinder device 35 to be controlled. The valve assembly 61 further includes a rock shaft 65 extending horizontally and transversely of the cab of the vehicle and adapted to control the operation of valve elements (not shown) in the valve assembly 61. In a central, neutral position of the shaft 65, fluid under pressure is directed equally to the two ports connected to the conduits 18 and 19 whereupon the main piston 50 of the piston and cylinder device 35 is positioned in its neutral position. When the shaft 65 is rotated in either direction from its neutral position, fluid pressure is directed to either one of the control ports while the other control port is vented or exhausted through the valve assembly 61. Y

A shifting lever generally designated at 66 is secured to an outwardly extending end of the valve shaft 65 so as to extend normally to the mounting bracket 60 when the shaft 65 is in its central or neutral position, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The valve shaft 65 extends through a bore 69 `formed-in the lower end ofthe shifting lever6'6. y The shifting l`ever 66 is made up oftWQ, separate, upperand lower members 67 and 68" which are interconnected so as to make the lever 66 rigid inthe direction extending forwardly and`rearwardly ofthe vehicle cab, while permitting pivotal: movement of the upper member67 rela= tive to the lower member' 68 in a direction' transversely of the' cab of the vehicle.' l

TheV detailsl of the structure of the shifting lever`v 66 are bestY shownin Figs. 94 and 10'; f Theilow'erl member -68 of the shifting lever 66 is secured tothe valve shaft 65 by a set screw 70and has arpair of'upwardl'y extend# ing, forwardly and rearwardly spacedarms 73-and 74fhav ing aligned, transverse bores 75;' formed therein; A-V centrally disposed, vertical bore- 7- isT formed in the lower member 68 and extends downwardly yfromvbetweenthe arms 73'and 7iuntilV it intersects the. bore 69. The set screw 70 is threaded into a lower tapped portion of the bore 77 ``to secure the shifting'lever 66m the' valve shaft 65 in aA desired position. A ball' 80'fis disposed'in` the centrally disposed recess- 77 and isy urged upwardlyfor reasons'to be explained hereinafter bya spring member 81 disposed in the-recess7-7 and-resting on the set screw. 70:

The lowerend of thefupper lever'mmber 67` is adapted to t between the two spaced' arms 73 and.74 of# the lower lever member68 and the member 67 is provided with a transverse bore 83 adapted to be aligned with the bores 75 formed in the two arms 73 and. 74` of the lower lever member 68; Means such as a pin or a nut Vandbolt device 84 is passed through the aligned'bores75 and 33formed in thevarms 73 and 74 of the lower; member 68 and in the lower portion of the upper lever. mem'- ber 67, respectively, for pivotallyy connecting the upper and'lower lever lmembers 67and 68" together. Thebottom surface of the upper lever member 671s generally rounded or arcuately shaped and has an indentation 85 yformed therein in axial alignment withthe upper lever 'member 67i The ball 80 associated with the lower leverv member 68 is urged into the indentation 85V so as' toprovide a spring detent adaptedv to resiliently locky the.v upper and lowerv lever members 67 and 68V in axial'alignment'- or av neutral yposition transversely ofl the" cab.v A spherical onother shaped member 86'may be'secured to theupperend of the shifting lever 66 to provideV a hand grip or knob to facilitatemovement of thefshiftingflever 66.-

With the structure described herein, it is evidentlv that the shifting lever 66 as a whole isri'gidinadirection-extending forwardly and rearwardly of the vehicle cab so that= movement of .the shifting lever' 66 in said forwardly and rearwardly directions will rotate. thefvalve shaft- 65 of the valve. assembly 61 ineither direction from its neuf tralposition; It is further evident that the upper lever member 67 may be pivoted from its normal, detentlocked position in axial' alignment with the lower lever. member 68 in opposite directions transversely ofthe vehicle cab when the shifting lever 66 is inV its neutral. position forwardly `and rearwardly of the cabwithout affecting'. any change in the position of the valve shaft 65;

Al 'generally cylindrical fixture 88 is secured' to the y lower lever member 68, as by welding, in axial alignment with the valve shaftf65 so as to extend normally away fromithe lower lever member 68. The xture 88.has a swivel eye. 89 mounted on its outer end. An armv 90 extendsnormally away fromV the upper levermember 6'7 at a' point spaced abovethe pivot connection between the upper and lower lever members 6-7 and 68 and in the transversely-*neutral position of the upper levermember 67 a small bore 91 formed adjacent the end of the arm 90 is alignedwith the swivel eye 89 mounted in the Aiixture 88.

As previously noted, the portion 1S of the invention lo- ;cated in the cab of a vehicle and the portion 16 disposed adjacent the transmission 17 are interconnected only, by flexible means, the two flexible fluid conduits 18and 6 l'9"leiading`from the valve assembly 61I tothe; piston and cylinderidevice^35iand the flexible control'cable 20 The control cable 20xv includes anouter cable' member 92 and-'an inner cable" member 93 movable relatively to the outer cable member 92 lengthwise thereof. One end of the outer cable member 92-is clamped in the'swivel eyeJ 89` carried in the' fixture 88 on the lower lever member 68` andthe other end Vthereof isY clampedv to the'-endl of an extension armV 941 secured to the casing portion 23 ofthe transmission'braclcet` 22 by aclamping member 95. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the extension arm 94- extends away from the casing portion 23' at an anglethereto so that the clamped end of the outer cable member 92l acting as a guidefor the'inner cable member 93y lies substantially in a vertical plane'extending normally to the axis of the gear selecting shaft 28 and'passing throughthe ball and stud assembly 34 cfarriedon theendofthecrank arm3'3 onithe'shaft 282 rThe transmission' endof'the'inner cable'memberg93 is operably connected tothe'v ball'and stud assembly 34 carried'V on the end'v of the crank arm 33fand the other endv thereof extend'sithrough the'smallbore 91'in'the` end of` the arm l'extending from the upper lever member 6,7 wherel it is adjustablyclamped by a pair of releasable lclamp devices 96A disposedv one on either side of the arm 90"; By merely loosening the clamp devices 96 the inner cable member 93 may easily be disconnected from the arm 90 and adjusted relative to the outer cable member 532i Obviously, the shiftinglever end of the cable member '93- is clamped relative to the armV 9d when the shifting lever 66 is in its neutral position transverselyof the cab andl when the gear selecting' shaft 28' is in its rockable neutralposition. To insure most effective operatlonof the control cable 20; a lubricant should be provided therefor.y Additionally,4 it is desirable toV providev means for keeping dirt and other foreign matter from getting into the control cable 20, particularly at the transmission end thereof. As" shown in Fig. 6 in broken lines, a sleeve memberl or length of'y tubing 97 may be provided'to enclose the transmission end of the outer cable member 92 fromwhich extends the end of the inner cable member 93 connnected to the ball and studv assembly 341 ln the embodiment shown and described herein, they control cable 20- is atwo-way or double-acting device. lt is believed evident that with some slight modification, a

single-acting cable could be effectively used in the invention. It isv thus seenthat pivoting the upper member 67 of the shifting lever 66 transversely of the cab inA either direction from its neutral position While the shifting lever 66` is in a. neutral valve position will rock the shiftingy nger 30' in the transmission 17 through the action of the control cable' 20-in either direction from its neutral position' into selective engagement or alignment with anyone ofthe shifting rails. It is further seen that forward or rearward movement of the shifting lever 66 while' the shifting finger 30 is in alignment or engagement with one of the shifting rails will actuate the valve assembly 61 to direct pressure to oneor the other end off the piston and cylinder device 35, thus axially moving the'gear selecting shaft 28 in either direction from its axial neutral position to provide the desired gear shifting operation within the transmission 17.

lt is noted that the bottom portion ofthe lower lever member 68is provided with a pair of angular projections 98 adapted to be rotated into engagement with an abutment 99 formed on the valve assembly 61- so as to limit the forward Vand rearward movements of the shifting lever 66; as best shown in Fig. 3.

The operation of the invention is believed evident from the discussion and description herein. lt` is noted, referring-particularly to Fig. l1, that the operable shifting positions of thek hand grip. 86 of the shifting lever 66= are the. samesstandard positions utilized in, most vehicles;4 of the truck class. Position A is the neutral position with the other positions being noted as follows: B, first forward position; C, second forward position; D, third forward position; E, fourth forward position; F, fifth forward position; G, low reverse position; and H, high reverse position.

As the invention contemplates no change in the known type mechanical truck transmission other than the means for supporting and actuating the shifting finger, a detailed description of the transmission and the operation thereof is not'deemed necessary for a full disclosure of the invention.

It will be understood that certain changes may be made in the construction or arrangement of the gear shifting device disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a truck tractor or the like of the cab-over-xnotor type wherein a mechanical transmission including the usual shifting finger is disposed behind the cab, a gear selecting shaft supported adjacent the transmission for axial and rotatable movements, means mounting the shifting finger on said shaft so that the finger extends into the transmission, the finger being adapted to provide gear shifting operations in the transmission in the usual manner upon a sequence of movements of said shaft first rotatably and then axially, a crank arm secured to one end of said shaft for rotating said shaft, a piston and cylinder device supported adjacent the transmission and having a piston rod operably connected to the other end of said shaft, actuation of said piston and cylinder device providing axial movement of said shaft, a manual shifting lever mounted in the cab for shifting movements transversely of the cab'and forwardly and rearwardly thereof, a flexible, control cable connected between said shifting lever and the end of said crank arm and adapted to provide rotatable movement of said shaft upon movement of said shifting lever transversely of the cab, a valve mounted in the cab and connected to a source of pressure, and flexible conduit means connected between said valve and said piston and cylinder device, said valve being controlled by said movement of said shifting lever forward and rearwardly of the cab to actuate said piston and cylinder device and thus provide axial movement of said shaft.

2. Transmission operating means for a tilt cab, truck tractor or the like of the cab-over-motor type wherein a mechanical transmission including the usual shifting finger is located to the rear of the cab comprising, a shifting lever mounted in the cab for shifting movements transversely of the cab and forwardly and rearwardly thereof, a gear selecting rock shaft mounted for axial movement adjacent the transmission, means securing the shifting finger to said shaft so that the finger extends into the transmission and is adapted to be successively rocked into engagement with any one of a series of shifting rails and then shifted axially in either of two directions to actuate the shifting rail with which it is engaged, means for rocking the shifting finger upon said transverse movement of said shifting lever comprising a crank arm secured to said shaft and a flexible control cable connected between said shifting lever and the end of said crank arm, and means adapted to provide axial movement of the shifting finger upon said forward and rearward movement of said shifting lever comprising a valve actuated by said movement of said lever, a piston and cylinder device mounted adjacent the transmission and operably connected to said shaft, and flexible conduit means interconnecting said valve and said piston and cylinder device.

3. Transmission operating means for a truck tractor or the like of the cab-over-motor 'type wherein the mechanical transmission including the usual shifting finger is disposed behind the cab comprising, a Shifting lever A mounted in the cab -for shifting movements transversely of the cab and forwardly and rearwardly thereof, a gear selecting shaft supported adjacent the transmission for rocking and axial movements, means securing the shifting finger to said shaft so that the `finger extends into the transmission, a flexible, double-acting,` motion transmitting cable connected between said shifting lever and said shaft adapted upon transverse movement of said lever to rock the shifting finger into engagement with one of a series of shifting rails disposed in said transmission, a valve controlled by said forward and rearward movement of said lever to direct fluid pressure to either of two outlet ports, a piston and cylinder device supported adjacent the transmission, means connecting the piston rod of said device -to one end of said shaft, and flexible conduit means connecting the two outlet ports of said valve to opposite ends of said piston and cylinder device whereupon forward or rearward movement of said shifting lever in the cab is adapted to axially shift said shaft in one of two directions so that the shifting finger -actuates the shifting rail with which it is engaged in one of said two directions to provide a gear shifting operation in the transmission.

4. Transmission shifting means for a mechanical transmission having the usual shifting linger and which is physically spaced from the operating handle therefor comprising, a piston and cylinder device supported adjacent the transmission, a gear selecting shaft supported for axial and rotatable movement adjacent the transmission, means mounting the shifting finger on said shaft so that the finger extends into the transmission, means connecting one end of said shaft to said piston and cylinder device, the finger being adapted to be shifted axially through actuation of said cylinder and piston device in opposite directions from a neutral position into one of two gear shifting positions, a crank arm secured to the other end of said shaft and adapted to be rotated in opposite directions from a neutral position to rock the shifting finger between a series of ready positions for gear shifting operations, an operating handle physically spaced from the transmission and mounted for movements in two directions normal to each other, a flexible, motion transmitting control cable connected between said operating handle and the end of said crank arm and adapted upon movement of said operating handle in one of said directions to rock the shifting finger into one of said ready positions, a valve controlled by movement of said operating handle in the other of said directions, and flexible conduit means connected between said valve and said piston and cylinder device whereupon movement of said operating handle in said other direction actuates said valve whereby to control a flow of fluid pressure through said flexible conduit means to actuate said piston and cylinder deviceV and move the shifting finger when in one of said ready positions away from said neutral position to a gear shifting position.

5. Transmission operating means for a tilt cab, truck tractor or the like of the cab-over-motor type wherein the mechanical transmission including the usual shifting finger is located to the rear of the cab' comprising, a shifting lever mounted in the cab for shifting movements transversely of the cab and forwardly and rearwardly thereof, means supporting the shifting linger in the transmission for rocking movement selectively into engagement with any one of a series of shifting rails disposed therein and for movement normal to Vsaid rocking movement while in engagement with any one of the rails to actuate said rail in either of two opposite directions to provide the desired gear shifting operation, means for rocking the shifting fingerrupon said transverse movement of said shifting lever comprising a crank arm operably connected to the shifting `finger and a flexible, motion transmitting control cable connected between said shifting lever and said crank arm, and means for mo'ving the shifting finger normal to said rocking movement upon p 9 Y said forward and rearward movement of said shifting lever comprising -a valve actuated by said forward and rearward movement of said lever to direct uid pressure i the top of the transmission and the other end in the Aform to either of two`outlets, alpiston and cylinder device Y i mounted adjacent the transmission and operably connected to the shifting finger, and flexible conduit means interconnecting said two outlets of said valve and opposite ends of said piston and cylinder device.

6. Transmission operating means for a truck tractor or the like of the cab-over-motor type wherein the mechanical transmission including the usual shifting nger is 1ocated behind the cab comprising, a shifting lever mounted in the cab for shifting movements transversely of the cab and forwardly and rearwardly thereof, a hydraulic valve adapted to be actuated by said lever when moved forwardly and rearwardiy of the cab to direct air pressure to either of two outlets, a gear selecting shaft supported adjacent the transmission for rocking and axial movements, a double-acting hydraulic piston and cylinder device supported adjacent the transmission, means connecting the piston rod of said device to one end of said shaft, said connecting means permitting rocking movement of the shaft relative to the piston rod, a crank arm connected to the other end of said shaft, means mounting the shifting finger on said shaft so that the finger extends into the transmission, a flexible control cable connected between' said shifting lever and said crank arm `and operable upon said transverse movement of said lever to selectively rock thev shifting linger into engagement with any one of a series of shifting .rails disposed in the'transmission,l anda pair of flexible, uid conduits connectingisaid valvev outlets of said lever con? trolled hydraulic valve to opposite ends of saidgpiston and cylinder device where upon said forward and ,rearward movements of said shifting leverin the cab actuates said valve to direct air pressure throughone of said exible conduits to one end of said piston and cylinder device whereby to axially move the shifting nger to actuate the shifting rail with which it is engaged in either ofA -two opposite directions to perform the desired gear i ture for shifting movements in two directions normal lto Y `ofa horizontal arm projecting away therefrom, a .two-

' way air piston and cylinder device depending from the' projecting arm of said bracket and having a piston rod extending toward the transmission, the piston of said device being normally centered in the cylinder in a neutral position, a horizontal, gear selecting lrock shaft 'supported in the casing end of said bracket, said shaft being in alignment with said piston rod and adapted to be shifted longitudinally and rocked relative to said bracket, a coupling sleeve connecting one end of said shaft to the end of said piston rod and permitting rotation of said shaft relative to said piston rod, a crank arm secured to the other end of said rock shaft, means securing a shifting inger comprising a standard element of the transmission to said shaft so that the nger is adapted to be rocked through actuation of said crank arm in opposite directions Jfrom a neutral position selectively into engagement with any one of a series of shifting rails comprising standard elements of the transmission, a transmission op erating handle supporting structure physically located a considerable distance from the transmission, a .transmission operating handle mounted on said supporting struceach other, a exible, double-acting Acontrol cable connected between said operating handle and the end of said crank arm and adapted upon movement of said operating handle'in one of said two directions to rock the shifting ,i finger, a, valve associated with said supporting structure and connected to a compressed air supply, said valve bey ing'controlled by movement of said operatingghandle in the other of said two `directions to direct air pressure to either ofa pair of outlet ports, and a pair of flexible con-1 duits connected between said valve outlet ports and the two ends of said Apiston and cylinder device whereupon movement of -said operating handle in said other directionv moves said shaft longitudinally from' a central,v neutral position whereby the shifting finger actuates the shifting rail with which it engaged in the usual manner in either of two opposite directions to fperform agear'shifting op- Y i eration.

g References Cited n the tile of this patent UNITED sTATEs PATENTS Kesling n n Feb. 2 1937 

